After the Fact (Bookworms and Booya #2) Page 4

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  There was a knock.

  Finishing the last line of the last paragraph of the paper, I called “Come in!” and then hit save before sending it to the printer.

  The door opened. “Done?” asked Zell’s recognizable tone.

  I nodded, turning slightly in my swivel chair to face the printer as I waited for it to finish. “Just.”

  “Ohh yeaaah!” Zell came to stand behind me, putting his hands on my shoulders to start giving me a massage. “Perfect timing.”

  The print job was forgotten as tension, stress, and tightness vanished. I closed my eyes. “Omigosh. That feels wonderful.”

  “Man. You been stressing today or something, Meg? You’re a knot.”

  “No,” I said absently. “No one ever offers me--wow. Keep doing that.”

  Zell chuckled. “Sounds like some major back-rub time is in order. I reserved the spa in the Infirmary. Good thing, too. It’ll be a blast.”

  “Sure.” Brain power nil. Thinking cap destroyed. Fingers only source of focus. I released a slow and deep breath.

  “Sweet. I’ve never had a release that big before.”

  “Release?” I mumbled, not really caring as long as he kept. “Ahhh.”

  “Yeah. Your body letting go the stress and stuff that’s set up house in your muscles.” Zell slowly worked his hands free from my back. “Come on. Grab your suit and lets go.”

  “Aw.” I rotated my shoulders before grabbing the print job, setting it neatly on my desk, and then standing with a long, luxurious stretch. I turned and nearly stepped into Zell. I gasped and giggled. “You silly. Don’t stand so close.”

  Zell grinned his boyish grin that made everything okay--He placed two quick kisses on my lips.

  I blinked at him. Then I flushed and lowered my eyes, nearly seeing stars as the warmth of his lips seemed to burn. I cleared my throat. Oh boy.

  “I pushed that one too far, huh?”

  “N-No. I mean, I….” I released a deep breath before looking up at him. “I don't know, Zell. I’m just—I--” I sighed. “You're not the problem, Zell. Really. It's me. I’m not used to the whole idea yet.”

  Zell gently chucked me on the chin. “It's not a problem, Meg. It's just you. I know that. So don't sweat it. I don't.”

  I reluctantly smiled. “You poor thing. You’re going to be a wreck by the end of this relationship.”

  “End? What end?” Zell smiled. “No end here.”

  I looked up into Zell’s smiling face, and then leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for saying that,” I whispered against his soft skin.

  “Sure, Sally.”

  I stepped back, meeting Zell’s gaze to give him another smile. Then I noticed he had a towel draped over his right shoulder and that he wore swimming trunks and a lightweight white T-shirt. “Swimming?” I asked, meeting his gaze again.

  Zell chuckled. “Man, you were out of it, weren't ya? I told you, Meg, I reserved the spa at the Infirmary. Grab your suit and come on.”

  My eyes widened as my cheeks flushed. I didn't look so great in a swimsuit. My legs were on the short side. I also had a birthmark on the back of my right leg that looked like a, well, I didn't know what it looked like. “Um, Zell, couldn't we do something else?”

  Zell kept smiling. “Meg, come on. I'm not gonna laugh at you if you're a little knockneed.” He pointed down at his legs. “I've got chicken legs. See?”

  I reluctantly laughed. “No, you don't.” He was buff. OK, so maybe not buff, but definitely well-defined. Boy howdy!